The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1887-05-12
DR.. Rivers and Martin College.

We have examined the files of
The CITIZEN that contained the ac-
count of the laying of the corner
stone of Martin College and find
that no mention is p,ade of the re-
ligious character of the school. Dr..
Rivers address is not printed. We
doubt not that DIR. Rivers has sta
ted the case exactly as it was, but
he evidently misapprehends the
point. at issue. He has made two
statements that differ very widely
in one sense and exactly agree in
another sense. He states IN his
letter to DR.. Fitzgerald that he
told the people it was a "denomlna-
tional school," and he states in a
letter which we have before US that
he claimed it was q Methodist
SCHOOL," The latter statement is
exactly correct. 1t is Methodist
school-strictly so-but it is not a
denominational school. 1t Is Meth
Iodist because it was founded by q
Methodist, who placed it. under
Methodist management where it
has continued to be, the board Of
stewards all being Methodists and
the board Of trustees being eight
out of nine Methodists, and be-
cause it was in its charter com
mended to the fostering care OF the
Methodist conference. = The trus-
tees have always considered it q
Methodist school in this qualified
sense and they earnestly desire tc
maintain the relationship, and in
this sense DR.. Rivers is correct
The issued raised now creates q
material distinction between the
words Methodist" and "denomina
tiouar' as here applied. II it is
conceded now to be a denCmina
tional school it means that The
property belongs to the conference
They believe it was intended tha'
they should be the agents and
trustees for the people Of Pulaski
and Giles county and for the Meth
odist church in Pulaski and tina
The legal title rests in them anC
they are bound to defend it. They
do not deny nor resist thu
full exercise of a fostering super
vision by the conference, such a
was exercised in detailing DIR. Riv-
ers to-be its principal. They resis
only the seizure of the legal title
| DR.. Rivers was sent to Martil
College by the conference becaus
the conference had jurisdiction owe
him and not because it owned Mar
J tin College. He traded for the furni
ture with Prof.Jones and had all tn
business arrangements made with
out the knowledge or interference
of the conference and then he wa
p detailed to the work by the confer
! ence because he was its itineran
s servant. DR.. Rivers has referre,
] US to The CITIZEN files for proof G
r the fact that the college was at tbs
a early day considered a Methods
: school (Which no one denies) an
n searching back we found an edito
d rial written the week following b
5 arrival in which after paying hig
T tribute to his excellent worth an
r pre-eminent ability, it winds u
e with significant paragraph thu
S exactly contradicts the assertio
= that it was then conceded to be
= aenon@nationaL school. It say
e dec. "a, 1919:
"The Tennessee Conference of tbs
= IN. E. church recognizes it as great
enterprise, THOUGH NOT DE-
It ''NOMINATIONAL, when they gact
4 sup DR.. Rivers and assigned him tc
= "this as his life-work,"
e That is conclusive. That was {
d the very beginning. That went
9 the people of Giles county an
e right upon its announcement can
DR.. Rivers and sought subscril
tions, and the people gave none
to it as Methodist, though not al
nonatnateonaL school.